Public hopelessly confused by travel insurance policies

Industry experts admit that only 20 per cent of travellers are protected.

Travel Insurance News - 05/07/2010

<< Study finds 40% of Americans have not holidayed in two years | Travel News | Thousands fail to tell insurers of medical conditions >>

Industry experts gathered at the Barclays Travel Forum in London were generally in agreement that most travellers are hopelessly confused by the details of any travel insurance cover they may have and only a fifth of people are travelling with protection. The recent volcanic ash crisis starkly exposed the extent to which people were either ignorant of or confused by the level of protection they have when travelling.

Typically, those travelling on an all-inclusive holiday package are financially protected should anything go wrong with their travel arrangements. However, as online travel booking grows in popularity, and people shop around in order to book directly with separate providers for the best deals on flights and accommodation, the lack of clarity and understanding about travel protection has become a big problem. Even some industry insiders are unsure of the applicable laws.

Paying by credit card gives travellers some protection against problems but they still have to claim through the credit card company and the level of protection may still leave them out of pocket. Fully-insured travel usually comes with many other perks, such as emergency assistance, which is unlikely to be provided by credit card companies.

<< Study finds 40% of Americans have not holidayed in two years | Travel News | Thousands fail to tell insurers of medical conditions >>